UK Launches Flood Taskforce to Prepare for Extreme Winter Weather
The government has launched a new taskforce to respond to extreme weather, including the risk of flooding this winter. After a summer of record-breaking temperatures, the group will meet this week to assess how prepared the UK is for what the Met Office has described as the "heightened potential" for wet, windy, stormy weather in the coming months.
"We're facing extreme weather, with flood and drought intertwined but the government is taking decisive action," said Emma Hardy, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Minister, ahead of the meeting.
The Environment Agency has warned approximately 6.3 million homes and businesses in England remain at risk of flooding. Defra will host the first meeting on Wednesday, bringing together the Met Office, Environment Agency, and mayoral authorities, along with representatives from the farming, water, and insurance industries.
Hardy emphasized: "This will put communities and businesses at the heart of our work and will make sure the UK is ready for whatever the weather brings next."
The government has committed at least £10.5 billion up to 2036 to protect homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure from the growing threat of flooding. The Met Office has indicated that the current seasonal outlook suggests an increased likelihood of wetter than average conditions during autumn, partly due to the El Niño weather event.
This year's iteration of El Niño is expected to be the strongest in living memory, with its peak not anticipated until later this year. The Environment Agency has noted that while flooding is not guaranteed, the odds of repeated storms, prolonged rain, and saturated catchments are higher than average this winter. It has urged households to check their flood risk, sign up for alerts, and make a flood plan to prepare for any emergencies.
These warnings come following 12 months of extreme weather across the UK, including the hottest summer on record in 2026 and significant flooding events during the winter, characterized by increased rainfall compared to the seasonal average.